Opponents point to Ingush Alims risk of losing credibility due to non-appearance at Kadiate

The refusal to come to the republic's Kadiate undermines the Alims' authority, Malsag Uzhakhov, the chairman of the Ingush Council of Teips, has stated. A refusal to resolve disputes as befits a Muslim, is moving such people are moving away from the society, Magomed Mutsolgov, a human rights defender, believes.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 13, the Council of Teips (family clans) of Ingushetia summoned the Ingush MPs to the Sharia Court in order to define whether their voting on the border agreement with Chechnya had been falsified. Only 10 out of 30 MPs came to the court session. Six religious leaders, who had criticized the summoning of MPs to the Sharia Court, failed to appear at the republic's Kadiate (Council of Muslim Kadis (Judges)) to explain their position.

A refusal to publicly defend their position under the Sharia undermines the authority of these persons, Malsag Uzhakhov has noted.

"The Muftiate or the court has no right to summon anybody by force ... But a person, who failed to appear at the Sharia Court, is considered a bad believer. If he is not ready to prove his honesty or innocence, it means that he has some evil in his soul," Mr Uzhakhov has explained.

"The Sharia Court is only for Muslims. A refusing to appear there entails no criminal liability," said Magomed Mutsolgov, the head of the human rights organization named "Mashr".

According to his version, the residents of the region, who do not want to consider a dispute at the Kadiate, can always turn to the authoritative Islamic scholars of the region.